THIS SHOW IS NOT SOLD OUTFor ticket, visit www.bearsvilletheater.com/events-calendar/bela-fleck-with-abigail-washburn-and-the-sparrow-quartet

Eight-time Grammy award winner Bela Fleck will open the 9TH Woodstock Film Festival, in concert with Abigail Washburn and The Sparrow Quartet featuring Casey Driessen and Ben Sollee

The Sparrow Quartet features the borderless sounds of two banjos, fiddle and cello, fronted by Abigail Washburn who has been hailed by the Wall Street Journal as "a daring, definite talent, whose feel for the folk idiom results in moving material. Soulful is the word." The LA Times described her music saying, "Abigail Washburn stomped and skipped through fiery Appalachian takes on the local songs of Sichuan She nails the dips and peaks of pitch while leading her band in scorching variations on simple, repetitive traditional melodies."

Bela Fleck joins the festival in two capacities this year, as he is also the producer and star of the documentary Throw Down Your Heart, director Sascha Paladino's full-length documentary chronicling Fleck's recent trip through Africa to uncover the roots of the banjo. The film follows the award-winning musician's travels to Uganda, Tanzania, Gambia and Mali, where he meets and plays with indigenous musicians and discovers more than he bargained for. Not only does he find many similarities between African melodies and American folk & bluegrass songs, he uses music to overcome cultural differences and touches on the human similarities hidden in the rhythms and the melodies of the cradle of civilization.

Fleck last appeared at the 2004 Woodstock Film Festival, performing with bassist Edgar Meyer, in conjunction with director/producer Sascha Paladino's Obstinato: Making Music for Two, which went on to win the WFF Best Short Doc award.

"We are thrilled to welcome Bela back to Woodstock. His opening night concert provides a perfect kick-off to this year's festival as it features a fascinating combination of musical styles and concepts by some of the most talented musicians on the planet, echoing our theme of cultural and artistic diversity," says Woodstock Film Festival Executive Director, Meira Blaustein, adding, "Like so many of our films, The Sparrow Quartet explores and crosses global boundaries to find the commonality we all share, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this very special event to the community."

Concert: Earl Slick and Saphin are The EONS

Colony Cafe10/03/2008, 9:30pmPM

$ 25

Qty

An amazing blend of Slick's searing guitars and Saphin's soaring vocals set the back drop for The Eons. These works are guitar driven-rock masterpieces encompassing a musical spectrum from Retro to Future! Rock legend Earl Slick is a guitarist and producer best known for his collaboration with David Bowie over the past three decades (Diamond Dogs Tour, David Live, Young Americans, Station to Station, more recently, Bowie's Heathen and Reality). Notable records like Double Fantasy and Milk and Honey with Yoko Ono and John Lennon. Slick has worked with a string of artist like Jim Diamond, Robert Smith (The Cure), Martha Davis (Motels), Royston Langdon (Space Hog), to name a few. Since his first deal with Warner Brothers, Saphin continues to rise as a respected and accomplished singer/songwriter/performer and producer. His caricature driven concepts such as the ongoing saga of Tim Essquare or Tim E., are groundbreaking, multimedia extravaganza's crafted for the masses that suck the audience into a Saphin's vivid visions via video interaction and ominous rocking. Slick and Saphin deliver driving, edgy rock performances in an innovative, evocative and altogether seductive sonic and visual package ready for silver screens, tv screens and arena stages alike.

This collaboration has already produced the current fan favorite Secrets, featured in the Woodstock Film Festival's featured short Predisposed. You can find Slick on the web at www.myspace.com/earlslick. Saphin's at his award winning website www.saphin.com and The Eons at www.theeons.com

WACBIZ was conceived in Spring 2003, emerging out of the music industry at a time when its future was unclear and frustrating for many. WACBIZ set its sights and goals for artists, writers and producers to work cooperatively as a team with a network of executives at the core offering their collective experience. Artists will communicate, as they always do, through writing, performing, recording and touring, but now have a way, through technology, that would make a difference to their futures. Visit www.wacbiz.com

CONCERT: Rennie Cantine and RVR with special guests

Colony Cafe10/04/2008, 10:30PM

$ 0

Qty

For 12 years Rennie toured with the Butterfield Blues Band. Rip Van Ren, Rennie's Band, features Flash on Seven String Bass. Flash has toured with Bernie Worrell and George Clinton. He brought his own band to Europe and played the main stage at Woodstock 94- fronting his own band. Guests include Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel, Indigo Girls, Tony Levin Band) and Joey Beesmer of Uncle Funk.

Concert: Outernational

Backstage Productions10/04/2008, 11:30PM

$ 0

Qty

If you missed Outernational last time they appeared at the Woodstock Film Festival, don't let it happen again.

"These boys are the next big thing..." says BBC Radio. "They are an incredible mix of hip-hop, hard-rock, and world music. They mix politics and dance music in the best way, much like The Clash did."

MTV News said "Outernational uncompromisingly tells the truth, and they paint a picture of the world the way they see it and a way that we don't hear on the radio and television as much as people need to. They're very political, but super exciting."

The Village Voice wrote, "Coupled with dynamic rhythms that somehow flow together like streams of water, their ripped-from-the-headlines lyrics of liberation struggle had the audience literally-at least in the case of one wild fan in a Mexican wrestling mask-hanging from the rafters."

NYC's Outernational just finished its debut album for Warner Bros. The record was produced by Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine with guest appearances by Chad Smith of the Chili Peppers among others. Watch for the EP to be released this fall and debut album early '09.

For more info, visit www.outernational.net and catch them live at the 2008 Woodstock Film Festival

Concert: DONOVAN

Colony Cafe10/04/2008, 8:00PM

$ 40

Qty

The legendary folk-rock-pop troubadour Donovan Leitch began his career as an itinerant folk musician, creating acoustic hits in 1965 with the gentle "Catch The Wind" and "Colours" and his version of Buffy Sainte Marie's protest anthem "Universal Soldier" before transforming the pop music landscape with a series of enigmatic and wondrous pop masterpieces that continue to be played on radio and television.

During his career Donovan has played with The Beatles, folk music greats Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan, as well as rock musicians Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Jeff Beck.

In the past five years Donovan has completed the successful album Beat Cafe; a new box set, Try for the Sun: The Journey of Donovan; and a book, "The Autobiography of Donovan: The Hurdy Gurdy Man" (Arrow Books). Donovan also fulfilled his 40-year interest in Transcendental Meditation by heading up the musical wing of the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace.

And now this year Donovan celebrates his 40th anniversary of his trip to India with the Beatles where they studied transcendental mediation and bought it back to the West. Donovan returns to the stage for a slow world tour in 2009.

2008 Awards Ceremony

Backstage Productions10/04/2008, 9:00PM

$ 50

Qty

The 9th annual Woodstock Film Festival Awards Ceremony will take place Saturday, October 4th, 9:00 PM, at Backstage Productions in Kingston. Awards will be presented in the categories of Feature Narrative, Documentary Narrative, Best Cinematography, Best Editing in Documentary and Best Editing in Feature Narrative, Animation Shorts, Short Documentary, Short Film, Student Shorts. Jurors including Actors, Directors, Film Critics, Producers, and other distinguished members of the industry will present the Awards to the winning filmmakers.

The Woodstock Film Festival is a not-for-profit, 501 (C)(3) organization with a mission to present an
annual program and year-round schedule of film, music,
and art-related activities that promote artists, culture,
inspired learning, and diversity. The Hudson Valley Film
Commissionpromotes sustainable economic development
by attracting and supporting film, video and media production.